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This week on Empire, Jamal uses Lucious’ own song to finally “share his truth,” and it’s a family affair in the studio—minus Andre, of course.

In every previous episode, Empire has presented viewers with a variety of musical genres and performers to sample. We might get a taste of Hakeem’s quick and dirty raps, a bit of Jamal’s angsty R&B ballads, and a dash of Elle’s soulful rasp, all in a single hour—plus, if we were lucky, an extra song by whatever incredible guest artist was joining the Lyons that week.

But “The Lyon’s Roar” takes a different approach: Instead of three different songs, we are treated to one song performed three different ways, by three different Lyons.

At the beginning of the episode, Cookie and Lucious are still on cloud nine after their, um, reconciliation the night before. Cookie suggests that, to go along with Empire’s IPO debut and the whole general rebranding of the label as a family company, they should rerelease one of Lucious’s old hits, with Jamal and Hakeem adding their own twists to the track.

Thus, “The Lyon’s Roar” includes a repeat of the original “You’re So Beautiful,” which Papa Lyon recorded in the 1990s, as well as versions featuring his two musical sons. I reviewed Lucious’s rendition last week, so I won’t harp on it again, except to say that the lyrics do make a bit more sense in context. Though Empire doesn’t make it totally clear, the show implies that the CEO wrote the song soon after Cookie was sent to prison, which somewhat explains its general mushiness and lack of bite (though its references to his wife’s supposed “baby fat” remain a mystery).

But enough about that old windbag. Let’s take a look at the updated versions of the song:

“You’re So Beautiful” —Jamal, Hakeem, Lucious, and Cookie Lyon

With the original as a starting point, it would have been hard for the family not to improve “You’re So Beautiful.” And yet, even with the four of them in the studio—that’s Cookie’s voice you hear sassing “How much you pay for it?” and Lucious doing backup vocals—the song still comes off as pretty uninspired. Would it get radio play? For sure. But that doesn’t make it worthy of four Lyons’ worth of talent. I appreciate the choice to turn the track into an uptempo dance jam, but Jamal’s voice is underused, and Hakeem doesn’t exhibit his typical dominating energy.

Speaking of, perhaps the only way this version of “You’re So Beautiful” distinguishes itself amid the Empire catalog is that it includes the corniest rap we’ve heard yet—and we’ve all heard “Drip Drop.” Seriously, who let the line “You gotta be a beaver to get wood from me” ever see the light of day? And don’t even get me started on the rapper referring to himself as “the Hakeem.” (Though, in his defense, “up down, up down, up down” is super catchy.)

As everyone who watched “The Lyon’s Roar” knows, however, there’s another version of “You’re So Beautiful” that defined the episode, and it only features one performer:

“You’re So Beautiful (White Party Version)” —Jamal Lyon

Like the previous rendition, Jamal’s solo take on “You’re So Beautiful” also nixes the sad acoustic guitar that opened Lucious’ version, in favor of some funked-up electric strumming. Also gone: the “Watching you like a camera do” line (thank God).

There are a lot of moving parts on this track: two different choruses, a bridge, verses that include both singing and rapping, and whole bunch of unnecessary auto-tune. Plus, the entire production sends a somewhat confusing message: Obviously, Jamal makes it clear he’s singing about a guy, and yet he doesn’t omit lyrics about manicures and big thighs (which are gender-neutral images within hip-hop only by the greatest stretch of the imagination).

Considering all this, when I first listened to the song before watching the episode, I wasn’t particularly keen on it. But on Empire, the music and the storylines aren’t meant to be separated. Seeing Jamal perform his big coming-out number at the White Party dissolved most of my doubts about his “You’re So Beautiful” arrangement. Because Jamal’s defiance is infectious. Easy, sexy confidence radiates off his vocal. Watch him belt out words about loving another man, and suddenly the song becomes a powerhouse. In this case, at least, the message is greater than the medium. And nothing beats the irony of using what was, originally, Lucious’ hit to publicly announce his sexuality.

On next week’s episode, “American Boy” singer Estelle guests as an aspiring Empire artist and duets with Jamal, and Veronica (V. Bozeman)—one of the most exciting performers to appear on the show—returns to school everyone in how it’s done.

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons